For months, Southwest Airways has been teasing the potential for true premium seats, long-haul routes and airport lounges.
Now, it seems at the very least a kind of issues could also be coming true.
In accordance with Hawaii state information, the airline this month gained approval (PDF hyperlink) to lease house to construct a lounge at Honolulu’s Daniel Ok. Inouye Worldwide Airport (HNL).
The information was first reported by trade blogger Enilria.
In accordance with paperwork (PDF hyperlink) reviewed by TPG, the house would seemingly span two flooring and measure an expansive 12,000 sq. ft inside Terminal 2, the place Southwest operates its HNL flights.
This might be the primary airport lounge for the Dallas-based service, and by far its deepest foray into the premium house.
It is also one thing that the airline’s CEO, Bob Jordan, has been hinting at for months — together with simply final week on the corporate’s earnings name.
“We’re actively taking a look at continued adjustments to widen our product providing for our clients,” Jordan informed analysts Oct. 23.
“Together with issues,” Jordan added, “like premium seating, airport lounges and long-haul worldwide locations.”
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Southwest has thus far not publicly confirmed it is including airport lounges.
Due to that, it stays unclear how the airline would possibly decide entry for any future golf equipment. Nevertheless, it appears a possible wager the service may use lounges as a method to sweeten the deal for its top-tier bank card lineup — which simply received a refresh this summer season.
Southwest is within the midst of a serious transformation. After including checked bag charges earlier this yr, the service is now lower than three months away from ditching its long-standing open-seating coverage in favor of assigned seats — together with its new extra-legroom product now out there on roughly half of its planes.
2025 has additionally seen the service strike up new worldwide airline partnerships with Icelandair, China Airways and EVA Air, and it expects to debut Fast Rewards companion redemptions on a few of these carriers subsequent yr.
Southwest launched Hawaii service in 2019, and, as of this month, flies nonstop from HNL to eight U.S. mainland airports. It additionally operates a number of interisland routes.
If the airline certainly strikes ahead with a Honolulu membership, it could be part of a aggressive lounge panorama on the state’s largest airport. American Airways, Delta Air Strains and United Airways all have golf equipment at HNL, as do worldwide carriers All Nippon Airways, Japan Airways and Qatar Airways. Alaska Airways and Hawaiian Airways are plotting a brand new premium membership on the airport following their 2024 merger.
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